Method of constructing plastic walls.



W. C. SWIFT.

mmoo or CONSTRUCTING'PLASTIC WALLS.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 5. 1910. 1,159,615. Patented Nov. 9, 1915.

2 SHEETSSHEET 1.

WITNESSES INVENTOR GK. J/M W a i R v I Attorney I W. C. SWIFT.

METHOD OF CONSTRUCTING'PLASTIC WALLS.-

APPLICATlON FILED APR-5,1910.

STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIS C. SWIFT, OF COS HOC TON, OHIO.

HETHdD OF CONSTRUCTIN G PLASTIC WALLS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 9, 1915.

Application filed April 5, 1910. Serial No. 553,613.

approximately horizontal position, and then bringing these wall-sections to a vertical position by raising the margin or edge of each of said wall-sections which is'nearest the foundation.

This method is particularly advantageous inasmuch as it permits of a hollow wall being constructed from wall-sections, which are formed in an approximately horizontal position, the outer faces of said wall-sec.-

tions when in such horizontal position being arranged uppermost, so that such outer faces may be decorated or otherwise finished before being-brought to a vertical position.

By my method both sections of a hollow wall maybe and preferably .are simultaneously elevated to a vertical position, thereby reducing the time and expense of this operation to a minimum. In this simultaneous elevation of the two wall-sections they balance the apparatus used to raise the same, and hence prevents undue lateral strains thereon.

My method is further particularly adapted for placing the wall-sections in their proper vertical positions without jarring the same thereby preventing the walls being cracked or'otherwise damaged.

Further novel and advantageous features of my invention will be pointed out in the following description and particularly defined in the appended claims.

In the preferred practice of my improved method, I employ the apparatus and means shown in the accompanying drawings wherein Figure 1 is a side view of the apparatus, parts thereof being shown in section. Fig. 2 is an elevation of the same, parts being shown in section. Fig. 3 is a detail sectional view of a portion of the apparatus. Fig. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary detail view of the inner end ofv one of the platforms, showing other members associated therewith in section. Fig. 5 is a plan view of elevated wall sections illustrating one of the means for securing or. tying the same together whereby they are securely held in position, and Fig. 6 1s a plan view of elevated wall sections illustrating a slightly different .manner of securing the same-together.

In the drawings illustrating a preferred embodiment of 1 designates a power or driving shaft, which 1s journaled as shown at '2 through the upper ends of vertical supports 3. These supports are arranged as shown at spaced intervals upon form the support for the wall to be constructed. Below the driving shaft 1 and spaced therefrom is arranged a winch or hoist 4', in parallel relation with shaft 1 e and journaled through bearings 5 carried by the supports 3. The shaft 1 is provided at equal spaced intervals with relatively small gear wheels 6 asshown, which mesh with relatively large, gear wheels 7 which are fixedly secured to the hoist 4. The shaft 1 is further provided at each of its ends with a wheel 8 which are fixedly secured thereto to enable this shaft to be manually operated. Upon the upper ends of certain of the supports 3 are arranged rings or brackets 9 which are fixedly secured to the'same and to which are secured guy ropes 10 to hold or anchor the supports in place.

Upon opposite sides of the supports 3, are arranged movable, normally horizontally arranged platforms 11, each of which comprises a plurality "of spaced beams 12,

carrying planking 13, upon which is poured the apparatus, the numeral a foundation 4, which is to.

the concrete from which the wall sections are formed. The inner end of each of the beams 12, that is the end of the beam which is adjacent the foundation 4, is provided with a metal head 14 which is rigidly secured thereto in any suitable manner. This metal head extends inwardly to form a ta pered or reduced portion 15, which is bent to form a hook 15. The outer ends 16 of each of the platforms 11, is preferably provided with supporting casters or rollers 17, mounted within brackets 18 which serveto facilitate lifting and dragging the platforms 11 and walls thereon toward the foundation 4, as will be hereinafter more fully explained. The casters or rollers 17 are arranged to extend beyond the outer edge 16 of platform 11, whereby such edge 16 will be prevented from coming into contact with the ground or planking thereon, during the elevation of the platfprm.

Secured to the winch or hoist 4' as shown at 20 are cables 19, which extend down wardly and in opposite directions as shown. Each ofthe cables 19 has its lower free end tied or otherwise suitably secured to an eyebolt 19', as clearly illustrated in Fig. 4:. This eye-bolt is slidably mounted within a cylindrical housing 27,,which has its lower end closed by means of a head 28, upon which is 'formed'a ring or loop 29 adapted for the reception of thehook 15'. The upper end of the housing 27 is closed by means of a cap 30, which is provided centrally thereof with a suitable opening for the reception of the eye-bolt 19'. The eye-bolt 19 is provided upon its free end with a nut 31, which is adapted to engage a compressible V coil spring 32 arranged within the housing and surrounding the eye-bolt. The cables 19 are connected as shown to the platforms upon opposite sides of the foundation 4, so that upon the rotation of the hoist, the cables will be wound thereupon and the inner ends 21 of the platforms 11 simultaneously elevated. Each of the heads 14: is provided with an angularly arranged opening 32 which registers with a corresponding opening formed through the planking 13 as shown, and this angularly arranged opening is adapted for the reception of a bolt 33, which has its free end screw threaded for engagement with anut 34, which is shown as being. embedded within the wall section 22 formed upon the platform. The bolts 33 are employed to prevent the wall sections from sliding off the platforms, during their elevation. These bolts may be removed after the walls have been properly positioned and the nuts 34 will remain in the wall section.

In the practice of my method, the foundation l of concrete or any suitable material is first formed. The supports 3 are then erected centrally upon this foundation and securely held in a vertical position by guy ropes as above described. The movable platforms 11 are arranged in an approximately horizontal position, upon opposite sides of the foundation. platforms 11 being preferably equidistant from and parallel with the foundation 4. The wall-sections of concrete are then formed upon the horizontally arranged platforms 11, the outer wall section being formed upon one side of the foundation and the inner wall-section being formed upon the other.

In forming the wall-sections 22, the upper face 23, of each section forms the faces of the wall, when said sections are arranged in The inner edges 21 of the a vertical position. By having the faces 23 arranged uppermostwhen in a-horizontal. positlon they may be decorated or otherwise being elevated, the platforms 11 upon which the same are arranged. are to be connected to the hoist 4: by two cables 19 only, and should there be any little difference in the lift of the cables 19, the same will be equalized by the movement of the outer edge ltlof the platform, since this edge is free to travel upon the rollers 17. When a short wall section is thus being elevated and the platform 11 formed of a corresponding length, the cables 19 may be directly secured or tied to the hooks 15, thus doing away with the eye-bolt 19, spring 32 and their associated members. As illustrated in Fig. 2 the platform 11 is of suflicient length to be employed in the positioning of a wall-section which is sufficiently long to form one side of a building. The platform 11 is here shown as being connected to the hoist 4 at equal spaced intervals by means of a plurality of the cables 19. These cables are connected to the eye-bolts 19 as above described, which eye-bolts have elastic engagements with the platform 11 by virtue of the springs 32. Since the pairs of pinions G and 7 are disposed at equal space intervals the tendency of the shaft 1 and hoist at to twist will be greatly reduced. Should there be any little difference in the lift of the cables 19, either due to the twist of the shaft 1 or hoist 4 or to the stretching of the cables under load, the same will be automatically taken up by the springs 32 and the platform 11 prevent it from being twisted or sub-- jected to jars which might cause the wall section 22 to crack. The elevation of the inner ends 21 of the platforms 11, causes the outer ends to travel toward the foundation 4: in an approximately horizontal plane, until they are adjacent the foundation 4, whereupon they are lowered into position upon such foundation. In this manner the two wall sections 22 are simultaneously elevated to a vertical position, suitably spaced from each other and finally disposed upon the foundation 4. After the wall sections 22 have been suitably positioned upon the foundation 4, the bolts'33 are removed, which disengages the sections fromthe platforms 11 whereby the latter will be free to be removed from between the wall-sections.

In Fig. 5 I have illustrated a manner of securing a plurality of short wall sections together; in the formation of the wallsections the same may be provided with reinforcing rods or wires 34, which are embedded therein. As shown in Fig. the sides of the building being constructed are formed of a plurality of wall-sections 22, which are arranged in end to end relation to each other. Corresponding adjacent wallsections 22 have their adjacent edges beveled as shown at which affords sul'licient space for the reinforcing wires 34 as shown. The free ends of these rods may be twisted or otherwise secured together, or they may remain free and be embedded within a column of plastic material '36, which is formed by placing planks 37 between the outer and inner wall-sections adjacent their unions and pouring plastic material between the same. ll hen the inner wall-sections meet in the formation of the corner of the building, the me have their adjacent outer edge bevl as shown at 38, which will form a suitaole space 39 for the free ends of the reinforcing wires 84. The outer walhsections are shown at 40 as harin their adjacent ends beveled, and the free ends of ti e reincing wires 34 extend out of the outer Suitable anks are arranged shown adjacent corner joints and plastic material is ed in between the same to form. a column By this manner the inner wall-sections a corner are secured together, the outer wallsections secured together, and the inner and outer wallsections are also connected to each other.

in Fig. 6 l have illustrated a slightly dif ferent manner of securing the wall-sections together. The outer wall-sections 42 and 43 are shown as being disposed to form a corner of the building. The edges 44 of these wall-sections are shown as being spaced from each other. The wall-sections 42 and 43 have reinforcing rods or wires 45 embedded within the same which extend beyond the edges 44 and may be twisted or otherwise secured together. I arrange a box or mold 46 upon the outer side of the wall-sections- 42 and 43 as shown, and a beam 47. upon the inner side. Concrete or any suitable plastic composition, is then poured within the box 46 to form a column 48, which extends laterally beyond the wallsections 42 and 43. This column securely connects the wall-sections 42 and 4-3 and also ati'ords an ornamental finish to the building. The inner wall-sections 42 and 43 have their adjacent edges 44 spaced from each other as shown. The wall-sections 42' and 43"are also provided with reinforcing wires corresponding to those described in connection with wall-sections 42 and 43. Planks 48 and 49 are arranged as shown to form a mold within which may be poured suitable plastic material for forming a column 50,

which securely connects the wall-sections 42 and 43. The outer wall-section 42 has arranged in end to end relation thereto an outer-wall-sect'ion 51 which is spaced away therefrom as shown. This wall-section 51 is provided with reinforcing rods or wires 52 adapted to be secured to the reinforcing wires 45 of wall-section 42 by twisting the same, or the like. A boX or mold 53 is arranged as shownupon the outer sides of the wall-sections 42 and 51, and a plank 54 arranged upon the inner side, and these are connected or held in place by means of a bolt 55. Concrete 'or plastic material is then poured between the box 53 and the plank 54 to form a column 56. This column 56 extends laterally beyondthe wall-sections 52 and and corresponds in appearance to column 48. The wall-section 42' has arranged in end to end relation thereto a wall-section 57', which has its adjacent edge spaced away from the corresponding edge of the wallsection 42 as shown. A wall-section 58 is arran er l at right angles to the wall-sections and 5?, and is spaced away from the same as shown. The reinforcing rods or wires of these wall-sections extend within ening 59 as shown and may be secured er by twisting or the like. The planks G0 and 61 are arranged as shown to form a mold within which is poured concrete or a suitable plastic composition for forming a column 62. This column securely connects the adjacent wall-sections as is clearly obvious. The planks 60 and 61 are detachably connected by means of bolts 68 as shown. The wall-sections 42 and 42 are provided preferably near their centers with reinforcing rods 63, the inner ends-of which are bent out 'ardly after said wall-sections have been elevated to their vertical position, and these inner ends may be connected together in any preferred or desired manner. Planks 64 are disposed upon opposite sides of these ends or" the reinforcing rods-63' and form a mold .for the reception of concrete or the like for the formation of a column 65. It is thus seen that these wall sections are securely connected transversely near their centers. The wall-sections 52 and 57 are shown as being similarly connected, and a description of such connection is deemed unnecessary.

While I have particularly described the practice of my invention as contemplating the formation of the wall-sections upon the platforms 11, while arranged adjacent the foundation 4 it is to be understood that it is by no means limited thereto but that the movable platforms may be located at a dis tance from the foundations as in a shed or heated inclosure. When this practice is followed I provide the platforms 11 with an additional set of casters or rollers 26 as shown in dotted lines at the left of Fig. 1, at the end opposite that provided with rollers 17. This arrangement is particularly advantageous where a large number of wallsections are to be molded or where the weather or other conditions render it either necessary or advisable to mold the wall-sections in a dry or in a heated inclosure. WVhen this is done the wall-sections may be moved from the inclosure when made, positioned adjacent the foundation at and then elevated into position as above described.

By molding the tie rods 2st and 25 into the wall-sections as shown such rods or adjacent sections are in juxtaposition when the sections are elevated and may be readily and permanently secured together.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim is 1. The method of constructing and erecting wall sections from plastic material which consists in providing a suitable foundation, forming a wall section in an approximately horizontal position. adjacent the foundation and elevating the edge of said wall section nearest the foundation to vertically position the wall section upon said foundation substantially as described.

2. The method of, constructing and erecting Wall sections from plastic material, which consists in providing a suitable foundation, forming a wall section in an approximately horizontal position with one edge adjacent said foundation and elevating the said edge of said wall sectiongvhereby that edge of the wall section which during formation was remote from the foundation moves .toward the foundation in an approXimately horizontal plane, until the section assumes a vertical position above the foundation.

3. The method of constructing and erecting hollow walls from plastic material, which consists in providing a suitable foundation, forming the wall sections in approximately horizontal positions on opposite sides of the foundation and adjacent the foundation and raising said wall-sections by elevating the edges thereof nearest the foundation and permitting the edges remote from the foundation durin formation ,of the same to travel toward said foundation.

4:. The method of constructing and erecting hollow walls from plastic material which consists in providing a suitable foundation, forming the wall sections in approximately mitting the edges of the same which were remote from the foundation during formation of said section to travel. toward said foundation.

5. The method of constructing and erect: ing hollow walls from plastic material which consists in providing a suitable foundation forming wall sections in approximately horizontal positions'on opposite sides of the foundation and adjacent the foundation fin ishing the upper faces of said wall sections when in such approximately horizontal position and swinging said wall sections to a substantially vertical position with the upper faces of the wall sections, while being formed, constituting the outer faces of. the erected hollow wall.

6. The method of constructing and erect ing hollow walls from plastic material, which consists in providing a suitable foundation, forming wall sections in approximately horizontal positions on opposite sides of the foundation and adjacent the foundation finishing the upper faces of said wall sections when in such approximately horizontal position, and simultaneously swinging said wall sections to a substantially vertical position with the upper faces of the wall sections while being formed constitutin the outer faces of the erected hollow wal 7. The method of making and erecting concrete walls. of buildings which consists of forming a wall in a mold disposed in a substantially horizontal position and adjacent to a permanent foundation 'and with one edge of said wall nearer said foundation than the other edge of said wall, and in then elevating the edge of said wall nearest said foundation and permitting the opposite edge of said wall to swing in over said foundation.

In testimony whereof I affix my Signal/141.0 1n presence of two witnesses.

XVILLIS C. Sl/VIFT. Witnesses W. S. MERRELL,

MAME WIMMER.

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- Washington, D. 0.. 

